The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Image guided medical and surgical procedures utilize patient images (image data) obtained prior to or during a medical procedure to guide a physician performing the procedure. Recent advances in imaging technology, especially in imaging technologies that produce highly-detailed, two, three, and four dimensional images, such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), fluoroscopic imaging (such as with a C-arm device), positron emission tomography (PET), and ultrasound imaging (US) has increased the interest in navigated medical procedures.
Generally, during a navigated procedure, images are acquired by a suitable imaging device for display on a workstation. The navigation system tracks the patient, instruments and other devices in the surgical field or patient space. These tracked devices are then displayed relative to the image data on the workstation in image space. In order to track the patient, instruments and other devices, the patient, instruments and other devices can be equipped with tracking devices.